Letters to the EditorYour emails to EcommerceBytesFor consideration, send your email to ina@auctionbytes.com with "Letters to the Editor Blog" in the subject line! Remember to include your name as you would like it to appear in the blog.

eBay's current management seems to believe that structured data, UPC codes etc.. are going to fix the many problems with their search engine.

Apparently, eBay's UPC code entry box is defective in and of itself, which comes as no surprise to eBay users.

Their UPC Code system also does not hold the data when Does not apply is entered, which is likely eBay's insidious way of trying to force sellers to provide information that does not exist.

Given the various issues with entering valid data and having it rejected by eBay's defective database and the insidious manner with which the system is incapable of holding the Does not apply input, how can sellers have any confidence that the new data requirements will work as intended?

We all know that eBay's Gross Merchandise Value has plummeted since eBay turned Cassini lose and that if it were not for sellers including shipping costs in their selling price, eBay's GMV would likely hover around zero.

The bottom line is that the data requirements are simply the latest smoke screen that management has employed to impress Wall Street with fictional efforts to improve search and thus increase GMV.

It is clear this effort, as all others before them will fail to produce the desired result.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: toolguy

Fri Mar 4 11:30:26 2016

Who cares about UPC codes?

Cassini has been very good to me in Feb. hoping it works as well in March.

My sales are very satisfying for the amount of work I do.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: iheartjacksparrow

Fri Mar 4 12:25:33 2016

I can guarantee you there are a lot of incorrect GTINs in Google's database. I have a number of books in my eCrater store that are tagged as "invalid GTIN value" when I have the books in my hands and know for an absolute fact that the number I typed in is correct. But apparently there is no way to change a number once Google is using it, so there are always going to be issues with the GTINs until Google accepts evidence that they are relying on incorrect numbers.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: RKTOYS

Fri Mar 4 12:58:13 2016

eBay's management simply cannot admit that they have made a wrong decision. Everything is always somebody else's fault because reasons.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: Rexford

Fri Mar 4 14:53:12 2016

We've had many UPCs rejected and we type them straight from of the packaging. These are manufacturers' UPCs and not the chain stores' UPCs. If the manufacturers do not know their own UPCs then who does.

To Ric's point, this will not fix eBay. Cassini is what is broken. Very broken.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: bitbybit

Fri Mar 4 15:02:24 2016

Wish a study could be done showing day-to-day items sold showing identifiers with ''does not apply'' vs without. As far as I know, or maybe falsely perceive, adding ''does not apply'' could be the kiss of death for those items coming up in search. What holds true for Google could mean the complete opposite on eBay. Heck, even the word ''used'' could be disparaging.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: Marie

Fri Mar 4 15:11:54 2016

@froggy

If you revisit the announcement, you will find that they said they would close them when they came up for RENEWAL. You can see when they renew in your Selling Manager Active List.

******************

For myself. I've ran into the problem when I try to but an ISBN into a UPC box. The two numbers are not the same thing. This was a bit confusing when in TL, they have all these numbers dumped into one box. So if you use it and then you post it to Ebay where the selling form has these as separate numbers in certain categories, it presents an issue and the listing either will not post or it will post without the numbers because TL doesn't match the selling form in Ebay.

It isn't Cassini that cares about UPCs or ISBNs. At least not yet. Ebay has said they are going to enhance the search to allow for this in the future. Of course only time will tell.

UPCs and ISBNs are becoming more and more popular to search by. I know I use them more than I did years ago. And I'll search by MPN as well. Not so much on Ebay as the searches are solid, but elsewhere when I'm trying to find something specific.

I see it as a very useful tool on many types of items and really a waste of time on others.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: RLS

Fri Mar 4 16:00:31 2016

This is a complete disaster. I sell apparel and have been inputting the upc on new listings through kyozou our third party lister. The only way to get the listings through is to remove the upc and then relist .

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: FeelingFroggy

Fri Mar 4 19:14:35 2016

@ MARIE

Fleecebay has relisted hundreds of our listing in the last 4 days. Not one had a UPC or item specifics on it. But Fleecebay relisted them anyways.

And because I just know you are going to say Well you will be lower in search. That doesn't hold water either as all of the relisted are right there on the pages they used to be on.

Bottom line in Fleecebay did all this lying and posturing to put fear into anyone who didn't bend over and in the end. THEY DID EXACTLY NOTHING,

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: Marie

Sat Mar 5 13:07:55 2016

@froggy

I just repeated what they said. I have no control over what they actually do.

Besides, that is similar to what they did last time. We discussed this on another blog here a while back. About a year ago they tried to get sellers to put in the product identifiers and at a certain date, they started closing listings that did not have them. I had a bunch of listings get closed. Then suddenly and without an announcement they stopped. They also went silent on the subject until they started pushing it again a few months ago.

Doubtful that you know be well enough to know what I might say next. I have no knowledge that they've said they will lower listings in the searches. That is news to me.

I have no idea what they may have up their sleeve next or what they will do about the lack of product codes. It may be nothing, it may not be.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: Owen

Sun Mar 6 11:05:58 2016

As others have said, there are ways that people can make up their own UPCs, and if those bogus ones are entered early on, they become the UPC of choice, and then the real ones don't work. I'm not sure how that can ever be corrected. And I don't think Google or any other search engine cares.

UPCs are a mess.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: pace306

Sun Mar 6 20:57:22 2016

If eBay had 1/2 the brains of a mentally challenged fish frog - they would be smart and just use ASINs!

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: lessthanthreerecords

Mon Mar 7 00:50:24 2016

There are a lot of problems with eBay's bar code entry requirement. You can always enter "does not apply," but then you risk some portion of potential customers not finding your item. One problem that I've run into several times is with magazines. eBay lists magazine back issues under their "books" category. The problem is, most books have an ISBN, so that's what eBay requires for that category. However, most magazines (at least the ones I'm selling) have a UPC rather than an ISBN, so eBay says it's incorrect when you enter it. Although I don't sell toys, I have heard that there is a similar issue with the toys category and perhaps other categories as well. I'm glad eBay allows the "does not apply" option, but they should allow any number to be entered, not only one that takes a format that eBay deems acceptable when the acceptable format does not always apply to the item being sold.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: thehosst

Mon Mar 7 01:25:46 2016

There are many sellers abusing the UPC codes, they add codes from good brands to generic brands to attract buyers, also, some are using keyword stuffing but eBay is not doing anything about this.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: tb

Mon Mar 7 04:20:37 2016

Just use "Does not apply" to all and be done with it. Why cater to this foolishness. This is the perfect time to show eBay that we're sick of all this nonsense. Your listing will show.

If enough people claim that their system is bug ridden, what can they do. It's the truth.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: toyman

Mon Mar 7 10:38:30 2016

eBay has stated that they are pushing this requirement in order to get back in the good graces of Google Search. That is all well and good, until you start to see the mess it makes when the info, as others have said, either isn't accepted or is incorrect.

Also, don't get me started on MPN's. If your product has a short MPN, that may have also been used by products in a different industry, say A-1234 for a simple example, then eBay overrides your Category selection and puts your item in the Category of the more popular use of the number.

In the past two months I have had my diecast car listings end up in the following categories (none made up for effect) Cameras, Major Appliances - Stoves, Major Appliances - Refrigerators, Watches, Multi-Vitamins and, on several occasions, Coins.

It is chaos. So, I am forced to list items as ''Used'', a designation that immediately turns off customers in my selling categories.

It's just crazy.

This isn't a problem specific to ebay. Amazon has the same one. People have been buying UPCs and using them instead of looking on the packaging or they pull UPC's out of the air. I then have to PROVE to Amazon that the UPC I want and need to use is the correct one. Then their CSR in India have at times requested that I get a formal notice from the company as to what the UPC should be as if the UPC on the package isn't enough. Like these companies are going to respond to a request from me as to what something's UPC was back in 1980 at this point!

I've had sewing pattern UPC's given to sneakers, sound systems, DVDs and the like. I takes me so much time to get it fixed that I technically am not making any money on the item if it ever does sale. If you make a mistake inputting a number you are stuck as well. There seems to be no way to fix it. So these big Companies take the UPC of whoever lists something first and if it is made up then so sorry for the person with the item that has that UPC.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: Tiffee Jasso

Mon Mar 7 16:30:01 2016

My sister put UPC codes on all her items. When the items were relisted, EBay removed all the UPC codes. I told her to forget about it.

eBay Seller Encounters Problem Entering UPC Codes

by: LasVagueness

Mon Mar 7 19:14:23 2016

All my listings: does not apply, does not apply, does not apply, does not apply, does not apply, does not apply, does not apply.....

Login is required to post comments.To sign in to leave a comment using your AB Verify User Name, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page.

Login for AB VerifyBe sure and use your email address and password to log in.